The Great Awakening



   While all stood in silent, prayerful reverence, he asked
God to restore the girl sound in body and cleansed of
sin to her mother. All, even the wicked and curious,
joined in this prayer.
   When it was finished, without so much as looking
towards the girl, he began the regular service with song;
and as there were less than a dozen books among them,
he read the lines aloud.
   At its close the girl sat up, wrapped about in the great
coat and smiled at her mother. Turning to her he said:
"Little one, keep the coat about you and go sit with your
mother. "
   He preached that night upon the power and purpose
of prayer and began by saying: "Prayer is the only way
in which a sinner can ask God for pardon and in which a
saint can commune with his Saviour. It is man's way of
talking with God and God's way of hearing what men
have to say. Prayer is the powder of the Christian sol-
dier and by it victories are won for the Cross.
There were many conversions that night.
   The meetings were continued until the end of the
week. At the closing services the audience asked that
each year at the same place and season open air union
services be held. So in the summer of 1800, a great camp
meeting was held and the pavilion was used as the ros-
trum. This was the first camp meeting ever held in
Christendom and the practice was continued for many
years at the -Gasper River Meeting House and other
places in Kentucky.
   The hallowing influence of "The Great Awakening"
thus started, spread to other communities and eventually
throughout the state and into northwestern Tennessee.
Similar meetings were held by other preachers, at Mas-
terson's Station in Fayette County, Clark's Station in



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